Unsaid

chapter sixty five

He was late.

He promised he would come.

He was still in a weird mood when I called him yesterday, inviting him around for dinner. There was something up that I was determined to find out. He still said he'd come though, he promised me he'd be at my front door at 11, and here it was 12pm, and here I was, sitting in the living room surrounded by my family, chattering and laughing as Caitlin sat on Matthews knee smiling at him whilst my aunts cooed over the pair and my uncles questioned the existence of Niall.

I don't know whether Niall had simply forgot, or if the secretive thing he has had come first, and he'd gone off for that instead. Either way, I was alone, faced with my family.

"And we've been going out since then" Caitlin grinned twirling a strand of her hair between her finger tips as she won over my family. I was surprised she had come today, but then again, I was even more surprised at the fact my brother invited her.

She hadn't shown one bit of a reaction or recall to Fridays events, nor had she taken two looks at me.

I felt like disappearing in to a black hole as my mother called the family to the table, serving dinner, meaning I was now completely open to conversation by any of my aunts, uncles, cousins or my grandparents, and without a doubt, after my father informing my family of my new relationship, they'd be bringing up Niall's whereabouts.

I wasn't sure why my father had told them. I think he liked Niall, or respected him for sticking around, but he seemed proud when he told my family I was no longer dating ben but instead seeing the boy next door. A polar opposite to my mother when she was pulled in to the conversation, all I could see were her frowns and grimaces as she nodded solemnly, much like a grieving widow would do at her husband's funeral.

"So, our Sophie" My uncle smiled turning to me as I twirled my mothers pasta around my fork. He was a chubby man, my mothers brother, red in the face and plump in the stomach. "Where's this boyfriend your father tells us about?" He asked smiling almost sympathetically at me as I try to think of an answer.

"Sophie's boyfriend isn't very constant" My brother mumbled as I heard caitlins forced giggles beside him. I turned to glare at him and his cruel words as he continued. "Comes and goes as he likes really, I wouldn't exactly call him a boyfriend" He said laughing as I feel knives stab in my chest as I listen to my brothers hurtful comments. My father cleared his chest straightening his back as he looked sternly at my brother.

"Matthew you know that isn't true. Niall has been more constant than any of your girlfriends, and more than likely will be here longer than this one of yours now" He said as my brothers jaw clenched. I looked at my father in surprise, I knew he would stand up for me, but not against his own son, using such hurtful words. "I'm sure you're a lovely girl Caitlin, but so is our Sophie" he smiled eating a mouthful of food as my mother glared at him. it was a shame she couldn't be the mother I wish I had, and stand up for me, stand up for Niall.

Breaking the tension at the table, the doorbell went.

I was the first to jump up, already on the edge of my seat anyway. I made my way out opening the front door as I felt relief flood through me upon seeing Niall looking at me worriedly.

"I know im late" He whispered as if he was trying to calm me down, stepping on hot coal "I really didn't mean to be late" he whispered as I shook my head, walking in to his chest as I wrapped my arms around him. I should have been mad, or at least a little angry, but he still showed up, and at the right moment too, just in time to save me and prove my family wrong;

"Just come in and save me" I whispered pathetically in to his chest as he shuffled us in to the warmth kicking the door shut gently as his hand rubbed soothing circles on my back. I pulled away to see him in a white shirt and normal jeans as I rose an eyebrow at them.